A Noble Cause

by mari tech

3. The Challenge.

Author's Note:

Attempting a different writing style as suggested by several comments. If it works out better, I might eventually edit and reformat the previous chapters.

Celestia held up the contract that Conrad had given her. "Well?"

Conrad took a deep and calming breath into his nonexistent lungs. "You see, in the kingdom I hail from, such a clause is required. Most undead creatures such as I do not have the ability to reproduce. So we must reanimate to keep our numbers high. The undead makes up the bulk of our workforce to support the living, meaning that most become field hands to help the living and processing to make the food edible. As we gain more living in the kingdom, we need more undead to support it. Our sovereign came up with this idea so that we would be able to support those under her. Not to mention that she believes that being able to serve your family and kingdom even after death is a noble cause." Conrad seemed to release his breath.

Celestia seemed to be in deep thought. Conrad could tell that she felt conflicted with the way her eyes moved and how she keeps trying to speak. "Hopefully, to assuage your fears Celestia, when the body is animated, the soul is long gone. We do not trap the soul in the body without express permission. Reanimation is never a punishment, simply a way to continue serving the kingdom."

Celestia seemed to give in rather than fight it any more. "Fine, I'll allow it. Just tell whoever you give the contract to about that specific clause." Conrad gave a nod.

Conrad and Celestia continued to the dining room. Celestia seemed worried still about the skeleton next to her but decided to leave it for now. The walk was quiet with only the clopping of hooves and heavy boots on the marble tile. Conrad and Celestia, after much walking, finally came to a set of fine doors. Conrad, being the gentleskeleton he is, opened the door for Celestia. Celestia was about to smile until she heard the voice she dreads most coming from the dining room.

"What do you mean I can't be here! I wish to have breakfast here!" At another entranceway stood a stocky pony bathed in white fur with a blond mane and tail. Conrad heard Celestia sigh as she went through the door.

"Auntie! The guard says I can't eat in the dining room today due to it being reserved!" Celestia prayed to whatever gods could hear her that this would be over quick.

"Yes Blueblood. It is reserved. By me, I have some diplomatic matters I need to do and the actual diplomacy chambers are being renovated after the minotaur and yak conference took place." Celestia took a seat near the head of the table and took a menu from a nearby counter in her magic.

"But I wish to eat here as well! I refuse to eat in my room or the garden again!" Celestia wanted nothing more than death at that point, and lo, death came in her time of need.

"Blueblood is it? I'm certain you have more important matters to attend to than annoying your aunt" Conrad stepped out of the hallway. "If you are half as important as you act, then you surely have much better things to do." Conrad seemed to dust off his coat, discreetly flashing his spiked and sharp finger bones.

Blueblood nearly did a spit take at the walking corpse that sat across from Celestia and in clear view of him. "W-what?! You're having diplomatic meetings with the walking dead?!" Blueblood thrust a hoof at the decayed corpse. "This is absurd!"

"Yes, it's truly a shame that a dead man holds a better conversation than you." Conrad took his seat near Celestia with his contract out on the table, ready to talk more.

"Why I never! I oughta break that skull of yours to teach you respect!" Blueblood pulled a dagger out of his magic and held it up in a challenging pose towards Conrad.

"Hmph, I would pull my rapier, but I wouldn't want to make you jealous." Bluebloods grip on his magic faltered and the magic dagger faded as he put a hoof to his head. Conrad mimicked his motion. "It gives me a headache just trying to think down to your level!"

Blue winced as he pulled his hoof away from his eye to see the ever so tiniest spot of blood on it. "You dare make me bleed my own blood! I challenge you to a duel to the death!" With a pulse of Bluebloods magic, the table and chairs that Celestia sat at were lightly pushed to the walls, creating a clear area.

Celestia just didn't care anymore. 'Perhaps this will be a good demonstration of Conrad's skills... And it might teach Blueblood not to mess with diplomats anymore.' Celestia propped her head on a hoof to watch the spectacle, she considered asking the cooks to bring up some wine for the wine stores if things were gonna keep going like this all day.

"To the death?" Conrad mused. "Then it seems I beat you in that race." Conrad got up and moved towards Blueblood. He pulled back his clawed hand and brought it forward with a slicing motion, bringing a shadowy rapier into existence. "Spare mine blade the blood of another fool and end thyself swiftly."

Blueblood flinched again, becoming slightly blinded from the blood seeping from one of his eyes. "How are you doing this? It's probably dark magic. I will end you and be hailed a hero!" Blueblood brought his own rapier out from his horn and rushed towards Conrad.

Blueblood brought the blue magic rapier in for a thrust aimed directly at Conrad's skull. Conrad stood his ground, bringing his dead gaze to Blueblood. "I had expected a battle of wits, but you appear to be unarmed." Bluebloods expression turned into one of uncertainty for just a moment. Enough time to completely miss his strike, thrusting just below Conrad's skull.

Blueblood sought to bring his rapier around to strike at Conrad's ribcage but was interrupted by an expertly practiced parry from Conrad. Conrad brought his own weapon around and slashed at Blueblood. Blueblood deflected the weapon and thrust at Conrad's ribcage to which Conrad simply lowered himself and let the blade pierce through him. "HA! You foul creature, you have met your end!"

Conrad stood back up and looked back down to the rapier stuck between his ribs. "That's unfortunate."

Blueblood stared at Conrad.

Conrad stared at the rapier.

Celestia stared at her empty wineglass.

Luna was asleep.

It was very awkward.

"Um..." Blueblood hummed.

Conrad pulled out the magic rapier. "Do you want this back?" Conrad gave Blueblood his weapon back.

Blueblood stared at the rapier made of solidified magic and dispelled it. "Uh... Y-you can have the dining room tonight... I have a lot to think about. I need to lay down." Blueblood shuffled out of the room. Conrad smiled, for that is all he could do.

Celestia used her magic to pull out a chair next to her. "Well, now that distraction is over. Care to chat some more."

Conrad sat his boney behind in the cushioned chair. "Of course Princess!" Conrad put his arms upon the table and faced Celestia.

Celestia sighed at her empty glass before turning her attention to the corpse in the room. "Well, I think I would love to learn how you fought like that? It seems like you injured Blueblood without even touching him."

Conrad seemed to brighten up at explaining his technique. "Of course! I'll tell you exactly what I did. I used ancient magic that is a well-guarded secret. Such magic, should it ever reach the common man would spell doom for the universe." Conrad sat up, his spine cracking a bit. "Such magic is aptly called 'Vicious Mockery' and is very dangerous. The simple explanation of it is that you lace an insult with subtle magics. The complicated explanation would possibly take hours to explain such a wonderous spell."

Celestia raised a brow. "Insults that hurt?"

Conrad nodded happily. "Glad you understand that much Princess, I see that your education is at least on par!"

Celestia felt something strange, something she had not felt in a very long time. It started as a weird niggling at the back of her head that slowly moved into the depths of her mind. For but the briefest of moments, she saw the world as a little darker. Not in a lighting sense, but more like Conrad's words had brought dark thoughts to the forefront of her mind, again only for a moment.

"Forgive me for the demonstration, but it's far easier to experience it than to explain it."

Celestia blinked the darkness away. "You are forgiven. I clearly needed the demonstration to truly understand it." Celestia smiled a bit. "It's funny, I didn't think it would be that visceral. Equestrian magic is usually clean in what it does."

Conrad nodded. "Yes, magic from my world is very, how you say, 'messy'. Magic from our world is not naturally elegant or precise and the source of our power is, for the most part, the product of other beings controlling it."

Celestia thought for a moment. "And what of your weapon?"

"OH! That! That spell is known as the Shadow Blade. It usually shaped like a broadsword, but my shear nobility altered it slightly to become a rapier shape. It is a weapon made entirely of life-sapping shadows. Just be glad I didn't touch Bluehue with it."

"Blueblood, but yes. I am glad you didn't seriously injure him. Alright, another question, tell me about how you make such magic. You don't have a horn, yet you surpass most unicorns in power from what I've seen so far."

Conrad stood up and walked to the center of the room. He held his hands out to the side and seemed to weave a spell around the dining room.

A beat picks up as the world seemingly shifts around Conrad and Celestia under the power of an illusion.

Conrad picked himself back up and dusted himself off before taking his seat again. "That about covers the basics of what I do. I am a lore bard."

Celestia looked horrified at what in the nine hells she just witnessed. Then she looked confused and mildly perturbed. "W-what?"

Conrad picked up the guitar again. "Do I need to do it again?"

Celestia scrambled over the table to knock the guitar out of Conrad's hands. "NO!"

Conrad held his bony hands up. "Alright alright, geez. But that does about cover where my power comes from."

Celestia got back into her chair and let out a huff. "Alright, next question, and I hope it's a lot less... whatever you just did... What exactly are you? You seem to be an animated skeleton, but you are obviously much more than that."

Conrad skritched his bony chin. "It's complicated like most things, but the long and short is that I am a skeleton that was animated and then awakened with strong magic. My race is incredibly young, only first created around two hundred years ago. My sovereign has designated us as 'The Forgiven' in reference to the fact that the first of us and currently the bulk of the kingdom were criminals or unkind in life and have been given a chance in death to redeem ourselves."

Celestia thought for a moment. "So... you were a criminal when you were alive?"

"I was a noble. Close enough." Conrad gave Celestia a chuckle. "Not much more needs to be said about that to understand."

Celestia giggled as well. "Point taken. Just three more questions if you'd indulge me, Conrad."

"Of course Princess."

"I would like to know what you plan to do, I already know about that contract you drafted, but I mean, what do you plan to do for the kingdom seeing that you are staying here." Celestia put her elbows on the table and hunched forward to listen to what Conrad had to say.

Conrad for his part stretched his arm bones a bit. "Well Princess, I plan on cleaning things up around here. From what it seems like, you've let the nobles get way out of hand, like Bluehood for instance."

"Blueblood."

"Sure. If he is a prime example of your nobility, I will have to show them how to act. I have many plans, Celestia, some will be done within mere months and some may take years. But as you can see." Conrad gestured to his skull. "I got time."

Celestia nodded and hid a grateful smile. "Of course, any plan needs time and I can assure you that I won't be going anywhere for a good while." Celestia sat up with renewed happiness and ease.

"Yes, I have ideas, Princess. I will help bring your kingdom up to be the best it can be and easy to manage. You deserve time for what you want to do as well, being a princess should not hinder that."

Celestia thought idly about what she would do with time to herself. "I have always wanted to explore Las Pegasus more... I heard there was a great new lounge there..." Celestia's smile grew wider than it had in quite some time. Celestia nodded "I would love that. Time to catch up. I'm sure Luna would appreciate it too. In her own way of course." Celestia then whispered to herself, "_{I wonder if I can get her back into her metal band again...}"

Conrad pretended not to hear that last part.

Celestia then brought her attention back to Conrad. "Alright second to the last question. How do you see with no eyes? I admit it is a little perplexing."

Conrad smirked a little bit at the question. "I had been asked that many times. Even by my own sovereign. Most still don't understand even after explaining it to them. To make it brisk without having to bring out a chalkboard, I emit the ever so slightest amount of dark magic that constantly probes everything within 'sight' of me. These probes test magic resistance and then report back to me, allowing me to see where exactly these probes are blocked, I can then 'see' where my eyesight would be. It then goes one step further as these probes are more sensitive to magic resistance than what is normal. Every color and material has a different resistance to magic, therefore I am able to estimate what things actually look like."

Conrad sat up and thought for a moment "For example, you have a brilliant white coat of fur, your mane is an unknown material to me so I picture it as a near-transparent material, but I can recognize the blues, greens, and pinks of it. I can also tell that the mark on your flank is of the sun. I can see your eyes and exactly where you look. I must say, I always loved that shade of magenta."

Celestia leaned back in shock with a slight blush.

"You have an adorable blush princess, but I am not here to embarrass you." Conrad smiled. "I can also focus my senses to allow the dark magic probes to bounce off objects and creatures once to give myself a broader view of my surroundings but doing so slows my reaction speed down quite a bit as I have to wait for the probes to bounce and return to me."

Celestia recovered her calm mask with a slight cough. "I see, that is a lot to process. Am I to assume that sounds are done in a similar fashion?"

Conrad gave a simple nod for an answer.

Celestia smiled again. "Well, on to my last question. What is the story of your sovereign? You talk about her a lot, yet I know not all that much about her."

Conrad stopped completely as the room seemed to grow colder with Celestia's words. "Are you sure you could handle such an answer, Princess?" Conrad warned. "It is not exactly a tale of knights rescuing princesses. It is a very unsettling story that she is not proud of. My sovereign would likely rather tell the story herself, but that might never be an option."

Celestia felt the room grow colder and possibly even shrink a bit as if the universe was trying to tell her that it may not be a good idea. But curiosity killed the cat and satisfaction brought it back. "Yes. I am sure I want the full story. Omit little from it, I will not tell anyone outside of this room. It will be up to you to tell Luna if you wish."

"Thank you for your understanding, Princess. Now, the tale of Rosa's bloody rise to greatness..."

Comments

[TearingNose24]

and youuuu, haaaaave aaaa, GIAAAAAAANT. PENI-

[Razzy]

You fight like a fairy farmer!

Hmm, dark magic sonar, interesting.

[creative_Procrastinator]

"Yes, it's truly a shame that a dead man holds a better conversation than you." Conrad took his seat near Celestia with his contract out on the table, ready to talk more.

Oh shit! Call in a medic we got a third degree burn over here!